Former Independent councillor Price McConaghy (83), also wished to praise all those who provided care for him in both the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine and Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital.

Price stepped down from Council earlier this year after over half a century of service to the local community but just a short time later, on June 19, tragedy almost struck.

The father-of-four took a heart attack whilst in his home in Lisnagunagh and whilst being taken to hospital the ambulance crew had to resuscitate him in the back of the vehicle as his wife Beth looked on.

Price told the Times: “I had a very severe heart attack on June 19 this year and I would like to express my complete and sincere thanks and the thanks of my family to the Health Service and ambulance staff who attended to me.

“Within 20 minutes an ambulance was at my house but within 100 yards of the house they had to stop to resuscitate me in the ambulance and I would like to thank the two people involved - paramedic Nigel Mills and emergency medical technician Tony Scullion. They saved my life and I am deeply indebted to them.

“At one stage the line on the monitor in the ambulance went flat but they kept me alive.

“I would also like to praise the attention I received in the Causeway and the Royal hospitals. The Health Service often gets criticised but I would not be here now if it was not for the care I received,” said Price.

Now that Price is out of hospital and back on the mend he felt this week the time was right to praise the health professionals who helped him.

“I got out after a couple of weeks and was not allowed to climb the stairs for six weeks but I'm doing very very well now,” he told the Times.

And Price is back out and about again contributing to community life with his vast experience, Even though he is in his ninth decade he is involved in the Bushmills Townscape Heritage Initiative and attended an event in recent weeks.